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The Eiffel Tower

When you think of Paris you immediately think of the Eiffel Tower, one of France’s most iconic constructions. This monument is the most visited sight in France. Every year, more than seven million people visit the Eiffel Tower, making it the most visited monument in the world. Some people see the Eiffel Tower as an unofficial wonder of the world. It is therefore also a monument that everyone wants to have visited in their lives.

Hours of operation

The Eiffel Tower is open every day of the year:

Opening hours during the summer period (15 June – 1 September) from 9:00 am to 00:45

and the rest of the year opened from 9:30 to 23:45.

During the Easter weekend and spring holidays, opening hours are extended until midnight.

Before you buy a ticket, it is better to check what the best choice is. There are many different options and rates. As an individual, the prices are slightly higher than in a group or with family.

Access via stairs (up to the 2nd floor):

In collaboration with Ticketbar we offer you the tickets for the Eiffel Tower not only can you avoid the queue but you will also get a beautiful city tour by bus through the city of Paris so you can see all the highlights of the city. The Eiffel Tower is often sold out months in advance, but you can still buy tickets at short notice so you don’t have to wait in the queue.

The Eiffel Tower consists of 3 floors :

To the first floor you can use both stairs and elevator. On the first floor you can walk around and enjoy the view over Paris. You can see the gardens around the Eiffel Tower and other Parisian monuments. On the outside of this floor are 72 names these are names of French engineers, scientists and other important people from the 18th and 19th century but there is also plenty to see on the inside of the tower there are photographs and paintings to admire.

There is also information about the construction of the Eiffel Tower and Gustave Eiffel you can even watch a short movie about the Eiffel Tower and there are information panels showing which buildings can be seen from the Eiffel Tower it is also no longer possible to climb to the top with this staircase because too many parts of the stairs are missing these were removed from the tower and auctioned.

Then comes the second floor it can be reached by stairs as well as by elevator. On this floor you have the best view of Paris. Then the less tall buildings can also be clearly seen. On the first floors, the large buildings stand in the way of the view of the smaller ones. In the floor of this floor is thick glass this allows you to look down so you can look.

On this floor is also located the restaurant”Le Jules-Verne” this restaurant has 95 seats and has been awarded a Michelin star. To get to this restaurant, you can use their own elevator. The decoration of the restaurant is sober but this is completely well made by the beautiful view that you have when you look out of the window it is necessary to make a reservation for this restaurant (Tel: 0033 (0)1 45 55 61 44)

The third floor of the Eiffel Tower can only be reached by elevator. From the third floor it is possible to take a few more stairs to a platform outside the view from this floor is very impressive. The disadvantage of this height is that the buildings are less clearly visible than on the second floor. On this floor Gustave Eiffel had his office only this site was actually used for meteorological research by Gustave Ferrié in 1910.

The Eiffel Tower visit in the evening

Visiting the Eiffel Tower during the daytime is beautiful but it is also worth the effort to go to the Eiffel Tower in the evening. At 22:00 , the lights and searchlights of the Eiffel Tower are switched on every 5 minutes. This gives an extra effect to the tower. The lights illuminate the tower and make it so romantic to visit the tower in the evening. The searchlights illuminate the Paris skyline.

Access: Metro station Bir-Hakeim (line 6)

RER : Champ de Mars – Tour Eiffel (line C)

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Are you planning to visit Paris but get tired of traditional tourist activities? Then why not take a bite of great chocolate, taste French pastries or simply spend a relaxing moment in a café? I am sure that visiting Paris cafes and places to taste French delicacies can give you a completely different vision of the city. This article aims to help you to find some ideal spots for your stay in Paris.

The Latin Quarter

The Latin Quarter, as a microcosm of Paris, can definitely not be ignored in your trip plan. It is always comfortable to take a walk in this quarter. We suggest you to slow down your pace and to let the quarter tell its own history. I bet you will never regret.

Jean-Paul Hévin

I suggest beginning this promenade by Jean-Paul Hévin, a traditional but also creative chocolate ferry. In this shop, you can find not only chocolate bars and assortments, but also some pastries such as macarons, cakes and tarts.

Later you can take a walk in the Luxembourg Garden, just in the surrounding.

Pierre Hermé

Pierre Hermé is one of the best pastry chef in the world. In his shop nearby the Luxembourg Garden, you must taste his delicious macarons. What’s more, his classic pastries like Ispahan, Mont-blanc, are also worth degusting.

Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots

After these sweet experiences, it could be great to take a
break in the terrace of a café. Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots are two famous Paris cafés in the quarter of Saint-Germain-des-prés. They are both celebrated for their distinguished clientele, such as Pablo Picasso, Boris Vian etc.

Patrick Roger

A little break in the café gives always us energy to continue our tour in Paris. Not far from the Shakespeare & Company, you will find Patrick Roger, which is an original chocolate ferry. We can always see some beautiful outstanding creatures.

Gelati d’Alberto or Amorino

After taking a look in the Shakespeare & Company, I suggest two options of ice cream for the following tour in Paris. If you want to visit Notre-Dame de Paris, Amorino can be a sweet choice which helps you to kill time in the waiting line in front of the cathedral.

If you are more interested by the Musée national du Moyen Âge and Panthéon, Gelati d’Alberto cannot be missed.

Montmartre

Nowadays, Montmartre is a quite artistic district. You may want to take a self-portrait by a street painter, climb and enjoy the wonderful view of Paris city here. As well, I suggest cafes in Paris in Montmartre.

Café des 2 Moulins

The first destination of our tours of Paris cafes is the Café des 2 Moulins. If you are fan of the film “The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain”, then this place will absolutely attract you. You can drink coffee or have meals here. To avoid waiting for a long time if you travel with more than 4 people, I suggest reserving a table in advance.Address: 15 Rue Lepic, 75018 Paris

A la Mère de Famille

Behind Moulin Rouge and Café des 2 Moulins, we find a shop of “A la Mère de famille”, which is one of the oldest chocolate ferries created in 1761 in Paris. Today, this shop is kind of like a museum of French confectionery: chocolates, caramels, candies, nougats, calissons… you will definitely fall in love with this place if you have sweet touth.

Maxim’s de Paris

If you want to take some macarons as gift to your friends and family, Maxim’s de Paris is one shop to stop by in Montmartre. They have a lot of flavors of macarons, Indeed, this shop sells also cookies, “crêpe dentelle” and jams.

Christophe Roussel

I suggest you to pass by Christophe Roussel if you visit the Love Wall. Voted as “Top 5 chocolatier in France” by Gault et Millau, Christophe Roussel makes not only chocolate bars but also some creative packages like “kisses from diamants”. Of course, their cakes of the season are also worth tasting.

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Are you planning to visit Paris but you are travelling on a budget, are too busy and don’t really know, what to visit or in which Hotel stay ? Then, all-inclusive packages may be perfect for you. These packages includes lodging and other services like a visit to the “Château de Versailles” and can be a low cost method. But are they advantageous?

Why should you choose all-inclusive packages?

All-inclusive packages are more and more selected by people who often travel in unknown places.

Cruise in the seine river

All inclusive packages are stress-free

These pack are in first place stress-free because if you choose a recognised company, this company will be very picky with its provider to not disappoint you.
So, you will be sure that your activity will not be cancelled without your knowing because the company you will have chosen wants to be up to your expectations.

All-inclusive packages saves money

All-inclusive packages are advantageous because they permit you to save a lot of money.

Hotel entrance of a luxury Hotel in Paris

In fact, Paris is an expensive city and you can easily waste a lot of money by only booking your trip or by choosing a tour guide.
By choosing an all-inclusive package, many charges are covered like guided tours.
You can for instance save up to 30 % of the amount you will have initially paid without an all-inclusive package.

However, it should be noted that all-inclusive doesn’t always mean all-inclusive.
Even if many things are covered, it is likely that some things are left out.
Once you arrive in an Hotel you may have finding yourself paying extra for internet or lunch.

All inclusive packages include an efficient itenerary

Another advantage is that all-inclusive packages in Paris are safer than a trip that you will have planned yourself because some places in Paris are not safe for tourist/foreigners.
To give an example, Paris is a big city with more than 2 million habitants and 14 metro lines, by only taking the wrong train or road you can end on the other side of the city.
While, by booking an all-inclusive package in Paris, you can’t get lost because they will always be someone who’ll guide you or will stay with you.

Guided Tour in Paris

Available offers or tailor-made offer?

Most companies offer two types of all-inclusive packages in Paris:–Tailor-made packages–Predesign packages

Tailor-made packages are packs that companies create following your purpose.

Segway tour in Paris

These packages follow 100 % your expectations because you tell them how long you will travel, what you want to visit, the kind of activities you want to do during your holidays, the number of persons which will travel with you …
Furthermore, tailormade packages have many budgetary advantages for the reason that, there are no hidden cost and you can know in advance how much you have spent.
So, if you like having control on your holidays and on your budget, tailor-made packages are perfect for you.
Then Predesign packages are packages which have already be designed and include an accommodation, walking tours, bus tours, discovery cruses etc.
With them, you get rid of all activities starting by checking the hotel accommodation availability, choosing the place to visit and your travel guide.Everything will be done for you.

Altogether, all-inclusive packages in Paris are interesting because you can adjust and modify your trip in function of your request and they are time sparing, stress free and budget friendly.

The “Chateau de France”, is the symbol of the splendidness of the French history. From Versailles to Castelnaud, passing by the “Chateaux of the Loire Valley”, the rich and fantastic culture of castle may sometimes make us confused when it comes to visit a chateau de France. So, this article is aiming to help you to have a clear vision of the chateau de France, in order to help you further to choose the best ones to visit.

Castles of the Loire Valley

Map of the Loire Valley

In France, when we talk about the castles, the first thing that really comes to mind is the “Chateaux of the Loire Valley”. During the hundred years war, the French kings and the English kings opposed each other, and each one of them possessed of a bank of the Loire. Theses kings of different nationalities did the construction of several palaces and military fortresses that eventually became, especially during the Renaissance, the magnificent chateau de France.

The Loire Valley is located in the west of the France, about an hour and a half from Paris (one hour and twenty minutes by train, and one hour fifty by car). The region is reputed for its natural landscape, cultural heritage and the castles which are very worth a visit. If you are passionate about the chateau de France, this place cannot be missed. Not only the famous castles like Chambord, Chenonceau, Amboise, Blois, Azay-le-rideau etc., you can also visit the little-famous ones such as Talcy, Menars, Abbaye de la Guiche, Chemery etc. If I write a list of the castles at this point, it will be long and tedious, I would suggest you buy and read a backpacker guide to get a more complete knowing about the Chateaux of the Loire Valley before your visit.

A view of the Loire Valley

Chateau de Chambord

Chateau de Chenoneau

Castles in the Paris region

The world-famous chateau de France in the Paris region (in the department Île-de-France) is also unavoidable for a visit, like the Palace of Versailles, the Palace of Fontainebleau, the Vincennes Castle and so on.

The Palace of the Versailles is the most visited one among all the chateau de France, was constructed from 1661 to 1715, by King Louis XIV, in order to appease the rebellion and strengthen his kingship. The palace became since then, a very significant symbol of the greatness of France, which have been attracting people from all over the world to come and look at it with reverence.

The garden of the Palace of Versailles

It is worth mentioning that, the chateau de France in the Paris region usually merges with the stories of French kings. For example, the Vaux le Vicomte Castle, located in the south-east of Paris, its background story is as fantastic as its look. Its builder, Nicolas Fouquet, was the superintendent of finance, imprisoned because of the manipulation of his colleague on the charge of corruption. And his Castle, Vaux le Vicomte, was then sealed and the king Louis XIV seized almost all his property. Also, the king Louis XIV used the Vaux le Vicomte Castle as the model for the design of the Palace of Versailles.

Nicolas Fouquet, builder of the Vaux le Vicomte castle

Vaux le Vicomte castle Chateau de France

The chateau de France in the Paris region are all accessible by public transport, and it takes generally from 20 minutes to less than 1 hour by train. If you don’t have the availability to visit the castles which are outside the Paris region, the castles inside the Paris region are easy to reach and worth to visit, besides, don’t forget to get to know the stories behind these majestic castles.

The Castles outside the Paris region

The most famous chateau de France outside the Paris region and the Loire Valley must be the Chateau de Castelnaud, which is in the town of Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, in Dordogne department. It is a magnificent medieval fortress, offering you an amazing panorama of the Dordogne valley. Classified as historical monument, this fort is entirely dedicated to the great era of the Middle Ages. The fortress shelters a huge number of weapons and armor. The models, the furniture, the machines of war, as well as the numerous restorations of the fort, make of it a museum of war more real than nature. The castle counts more than 200 000 visitors a year.